


When I Fall in Love

by afrocurl



Series: I Wanna Turn You On [4]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Birthday, Emotionally Crippled Erik Is Fun To Read, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-08
Updated: 2013-03-08
Packaged: 2017-12-04 15:14:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/712166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles presents Erik with some news about his upcoming birthday, and it sends the both of them into a sort of short-lived tailspin.</p>
<p>Or the one where Raven has had enough and lets Erik fend for himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When I Fall in Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ninemoons42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninemoons42/gifts).



> This is now the last in this series (for now).

ITS is, and always will be, a mundane and monotonous job, but it provides Erik with access to computers, which he loves, and gives him a reason to be an asshole, which he loves even more.

However, in the lull between Fall Break and Thanksgiving, there is _nothing_ to do. There are few papers due, and with the final push nearly two months away, his days are far too boring.

His phone buzzes with a message from Charles: _Raven has no intention of organizing my birthday this year. Are you up for it?_

Erik smiles slowly before he thinks through the implications of the message.

Charles’ birthday is soon, he knows that from when they had first started dating, but he has no idea what to do, especially since last year was part of the Epic Disaster. He debates whether asking Hank will be of any help, but then thinks better of it, because if Raven is out, Hank is out by extension.

It looks like Erik’s day will now be spent not worrying about undergrads and their computers, but about how to plan the perfect birthday for his husband.

He is well and properly fucked.

-

In a perfect world, Charles knows that asking his husband to plan a birthday party is not unreasonable, but as soon as he sends the text, the ramifications settle into the back of his mind.

He and Erik were not together for his birthday last year. They were in the middle of the Epic Disaster. Erik has never seen one of Charles’ birthday parties. Raven has refused to help.

Despite marriage being for better or worse, this might just be one of the worst things he could do to Erik right now.

-

Erik desperately wants to say something when he meets Charles at the end of the day, but resists. He does not want to tell Charles how scared he is of messing up Charles’ birthday--especially not after he has heard all about the disappointing birthdays Charles had as a boy.

Erik will say nothing. He puts on his most charming smile and waits just outside of Charles’ lab.

-

Charles worries when Erik says nothing about planning this birthday party. Raven’s parties have always been grand and elaborate displays.

But Erik is not that sort of man, the Epic Disaster posts notwithstanding. Erik’s love is quiet and understated--small, nearly concealed bites and bruises against his collarbones, short text messages with _xoxo_ when Charles is lecturing--but it speaks to the man Charles married. The overt demonstrations are increasing, now that they have had time to really get to know each other, and Erik is, despite what he had said before, a romantic--at least when it comes to Charles. Erik is tactile, to the point of distraction, not to mention possessive.

He lets the concern fade, and contents himself with Erik’s strong hand encircling his as they walk to their apartment.

-

Resolutely, Erik has not asked for help in his plans, and he also makes the point of saying nothing when he receives occasional texts from Hank or Raven. If Raven wants to plan this party, she can, but if not, it is none of her business.

It will not matter, though, because Erik’s plans are much smaller than anything he has heard Charles discuss earlier.

Much much smaller.

-

Unfortunately, Charles’ birthday falls on a Wednesday, leaving no time to do anything that night--unless Charles cancels class, which he will not do for something as trivial as his birthday.

However, when he wakes on Wednesday, it is to Erik’s insistent hands roaming across his body before Erik slides down and takes care of Charles in one of the best ways he knows.

Afterwards, Charles is blissfully sated and almost wishes he had thought to cancel his classes, if Erik’s morning blowjob is any indication of how the rest of the day will go. There is certainly a danger that he will want nothing to do with anyone else in the world, save Erik, by the time Thursday morning rolls around.

-

Erik has every reason to feel as smug as he acts today, and he does not care what anyone else says.

He has planned, he hopes, the perfect day for Charles. The morning, a rousing success, was just one part of Erik’s plan.

His phone rings, and he has to fight the urge to laugh when Hank asks exactly what he did to Charles this morning to make him incoherent and useless.

Erik knows there are some things that Hank should never know.

-

Charles should, and probably will, hate himself later for how scatterbrained he is today. But he can still feel Erik’s mouth sucking him off from earlier, making him forget the rest of his work in favor of daydreaming about what might have happened had they both called in sick.

Charles accidentally contaminates one set of cultures; twenty minutes later, he drops three slides on the floor. After another two slides fall, Hank forces Charles out of the lab and into his office.

He watches the clock on the wall tick slowly in between trying to analyze their data on his on his laptop. If feels like the time until Erik is set to arrive will never end.

-

Erik rubs his hands against his slacks one last time before he walks into Charles’ building. He has been nervous about his plans for dinner, especially since Charles has said nothing all day; but that all changes when he sees Charles’ face.

Charles’ smile is wide and bright, and that tells Erik all he needs to know.

-

Dinner is a blur, though Charles knows the meal is far nicer than anything Erik has previously taken him out for. The table, set apart in a very quiet corner, leaves them alone to enjoy each other, though Charles has no memory of what they actually say.

Erik’s leg, a constant warmth against his own calf, makes it nearly impossible to remember anything.

-

Given what Erik had done for Valentine’s Day, this setup feels out of place: the apartment is covered in tea candles that will be lit soon enough, and there is a very expensive bottle of champagne chilling in the freezer and a new set of sheets on their bed.

He keeps Charles away from the door, begging for a few minutes to set everything up. Charles protests, but gives in as soon as Erik mentions that the night is theirs, and theirs alone, for whatever Charles wants to do.

That keeps Charles quiet as Erik quickly lights all the candles and takes the bottle out of the freezer. The bottle starts to sweat, but Erik pays it no attention.

He opens the door to Charles, and watches as his husband’s eyes widen at the living room.

“It’s lovely,” Charles says, just before he brings Erik down into a kiss.

Erik knows, without question, that this is exactly what Charles was looking for.

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by the ever patient **firstlightofeos**.


End file.
